What is Muharram ?

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What is Muharram ?

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What is Muharram ?

• Muharram (Arabic ????) It is the first month of
  the Islamic calendar. Instead of joyous
  celebration, Muslims mark the beginning of the
  New Year by taking up the black attire of sorrow
  and participate in mourning gatherings in which
  the sacrifices of Imam Husayn (P) and his
  companions are commemorated. It is one of the
  four months of the year in which fighting is
  prohibited. Since the Islamic calendar is lunar,
  Muharram moves from year to year when compared
  with the Gregorian calendar.

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What is Muharram ?

• Muharram is so called because it was unlawful to
  fight during this month the word is derived from
  the word haram meaning forbidden. It is held to
  be the most sacred of all the months, excluding
  Ramadan.It is the same month when Husein, the
  grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, was brutally
  massacred in Karbala alongside his family and
  friends in the year 680 CE/61 AH. This was the
  biggest terrorist attack against ISLAM, HUMANITY
  JUSTICE

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What is Muharram ?

• Their martyrdom of all is a sad day for all
  Muslims, especially the Shia, who hold mourning
  ceremonies to recall the righteous virtues for
  which the valiant martyrs stood and the grave
  calamities that they thus had to bear. The
  commemoration of this brutal massacre (Battle of
  Karbala) begins on the first day of Muharram and
  reaches its climax on the 10th of Muharram, the
  day of the battle, known as Ashurah and continues
  for 40 days or 69 days.

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What is Ashura ?

• Ashura (??????? transliteration Ashura,
  Ashura, Ashoura, and other spellings).
• It is also called Yaumu-l Ashurah (Day of
  Ashura), or simply Ashura meaning, The Tenth
  Day
• Normally a public holiday is declared for this
  day.
• It is the 10th day of Muharram in Islamic
  calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance
  of Muharram as it is on this day, the Battle of
  Kerbala was fought and I.Husein (P), the grandson
  of the H.Prophet Muhammad (P), was brutally
  massacred in Karbala alongside his family and
  friends

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What is Ashura ?

• It is well-known because of historical
  significance and mourning for the martyrdom of
  Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic
  prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala in the
  year 61 AH (AD 680). It is a day of speeches,
  public processions, and great grief. Men and
  women chant and weep, mourning Husayn, his
  family, and his followers. Speeches emphasize the
  importance of the values for which Husayn
  sacrificed himself, his family, and his
  followers.  For centuries Shia pilgrims flocked
  here during Muharram, a practice which was
  severely limited under the regime of Saddam
  Hussein

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What is Kerbala ?

• Karbala (Arabic ?????? BGN Al-Karbala also
  spelled Karbala al-Muqaddasah) is a city in Iraq,
  located about 100 km (60 mi) southwest of Baghdad
  at 32.61N, 44.08E. 
• In the time of Husayn ibn Alis life, the place
  was also known as al-Ghadiriyah, Naynawa, and
  Shathiul-Furaat.The citys association with
  Shi?a Islam have made it a centre of religious
  instruction as well as worship it has more than
  100 mosques and 23 religious schools, of which
  possibly the most famous is that of Ibn Fahid,
  constructed some 440 years ago.

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What is Kerbala ?

• Karbalas prominence in Shi?i is the result of
  the Battle of Karbala, fought on the site of the
  modern city on October 10, 680.Both Husayn and
  his half-brother ?Abbas ibn ?Ali were buried by
  the local Bani Asad tribe at what later became
  known as the Mashhad Al-Husayn. Later on city
  grew up around the tombs. Husayns tomb (View
  Larger Map) is a place of pilgrimage for many
  Shi?a Muslims, especially on the anniversary of
  the battle, the Day of Ashura

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Battle of Karbala (Truth V/s Falsehood)
Battle of Karbala (Truth V/s Falsehood) Battle of Karbala (Truth V/s Falsehood)
Date October 10, 680 (Muharram 10, 61 AH)
Location Karbala, The battlefield was a desert region located beside one of the branches of the Euphrates River, landscape about 100 kilometers south of the Iraqi capital Baghdad,
Reason Yazid l.a demanded allegiance from Husain he knew too well that the acceptance of the entire Muslim community was of no value without Hussains acceptance. In reply to this unacceptable demand, Hussain majestically replied a person like me can never pledge allegiance to a person like him, thereby highlighting the universality of the principles from which his stand stemmed from. Hussain rose to restore freedom, peace, equality and justice qualities which the Divine Message had perfected but were constantly undermined by those who hijacked religion and acted in its name. In a will which he wrote before leaving Medina, Hussain wrote I have risen as I seek to reform the community of my grandfather. I wish to bid the good and forbid the evil. 
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Battle of Karbala (Truth V/s Falsehood)
Result VICTORY OF TRUTH  The tyrant dies and his rule ends, the martyr dies and his rule begins. Soren Kierkegard  Umayyad military gain victory physically but with in 3 years Yazid died and after a few decades the rule of Banu Umayya crumbled and came to an end. Being such a big king (of that time) there is no mark of his grave not a single follower.  Husayn ibn Ali is still alive in the hearts of Humanity millions of devotees who pay homage to them and renew, through their message, their eternal struggle against humiliation and oppression by visiting the Imam Hussein Shrine regularly  especially in Muharram on the Day of Ashura, the anniversary of Husayn ibn Alis death.  You can check out this right away from live link http//www.imamhussain.org/htmldocs/ar/live.html   The best lesson which we get from the tragedy of Karbala is that Hussayn and his Companions were the rigid believers of God. They illustrated that numerical superiority does not count when it comes to truth and falsehood. The victory of Hussayn despite his minority marvels me. Thomas Carlye
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Battle of Karbala (Truth V/s Falsehood)
Combatants Combatants
Husayn ibn Ali (The Grandson of the Last prophet Mohammad P.B.U.H) Yazid ibn Muawiya (la)He was not physically present in the battle as he send the troops under the command of Umar ibn Saad
Commanders Commanders
Abbas ibn Ali Umar ibn Saad
Strength Strength
Hussein ibn Alis group consisted of notable members of Muhammads close relatives, around 72 men  (Which were 18 family members and 54 supporters including a 6 month old baby and elderly persons) and their womens and childrens On the other side were the armed forces of Yazid I, about 30 - 40,000 men led by Umar ibn Saad.  
Casualties Casualties
123 (72 Men and 51 children) 5000 (according to Shia tradition)
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Battle of Karbala (Truth V/s Falsehood)
Duration  
Despite the figures of 72 men against thousands, it is recorded that the battle went on from dawn to dusk. Just Imagine the courage that 72 stood in front of thousands for such a long time.
Summary
It intrigues historians that Hurr, one of the highest ranked commanders of Yazids army, who was the man responsible for stopping Hussein at Karbala, left the overwhelming force of thousands of soldiers and joined Hussein with his son and a slave.At the 10th of Muharram he died by Husains side in the battle killing 41 soldiers.   
According to Arab culture, anyone accompanying women and children with him is a sign of peace. It was here that Hussain, his family and Shia (Partisans) were confronted by the army of Yazeed. Hussain refused to pledge allegiance to the tyrant and Yazeed declared war on him.
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Battle of Karbala (Truth V/s Falsehood)
Hussain was forced to battle the army of Yazeed, but not before the army had cut off their food and water supply for three days. For three whole days and nights, enduring temperatures around 55C without food or water, the males of the camp, totaling 72 (including the elderly and children) fought valiantly and were all brutally slaughtered
Hussain was forced to witness the savage mutilation of Abbas his brother, the callous murder of his nephew Qasim, the torture and execution of his innocent son Ali Akbar and finally the depraved murder of his six month old baby boy Ali Asghar. Left alone finally Hussain was also attacked, his body was showered with arrows, his head was severed and the hooves of the horses of Yazeeds cavalry trampled on his body. Husain and their supporters were decapitated their bodies were mutilated and trampled by horses.
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Battle of Karbala (Truth V/s Falsehood)
The aftermath of the battle led to the humiliation of the women of Hussains camp. Their tents were looted and burnt, leaving the women to the mercy of Yazeeds soldiers. The aggrieved children who had lost their fathers were beaten. The captives were made to travel from Karbala to Syria Damascus, a journey of approximately 750 miles. Their Headscarves were snatched off and they were made to trek barefoot, chained, shackled, and taken on camels without saddles, due to which many of the children fell off the camels and the women were not allowed to even stop and help their children. The graves of these children can still be seen in the desert between Karbala and Kufa.
Distance between Medina and Karbala about 1,100 miles.   Distance between Ibn Ziyad in Kufa Yazid in Damascus about 750 miles.  Average travel by camel per day 30-45 miles. 
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Battle of Karbala (Truth V/s Falsehood)
The heads of all the males including that of Hussains six -month old son were impaled on spikes (as war trophies) and paraded through the streets. On arriving at Damascus, they were paraded in the town, for all to see and shun. A barrage of stones, rubbish and verbal abuse bombarded them. They were kept in prison for over a year It is to be noted that people who did this with the family of Mohammad were themselves Muslims. 
The insidious whisper comes Truth after all can never die.
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Why it is called as Battle for Truth?
The battle of Karbala finds great similarity with
the one at Badr Islams first battle. It was
the holy Prophet PBUH at Badr who fought with
313 die-hard supporters against a formidable army
of some 1000 men. That day against all odds the
small group won a decisive victory, and paved the
way for a future Muslim empire. 56 years later it
was his grandson with just 72 loyal men, who
fought against an impossible opposition of
several thousands to save Islam from the clutches
of tyranny.  Karbala was a battle of truth
against falsehood, humanity against villainy,
righteousness against evil, justice against
corruption. The much loved grandson of the
Prophet PBUH stood in the scorching heat of
Karbala along with his companions, devoid of
water but determined. His loved ones, including
his six month old son, fell martyr one after the
other. In spite of this he repeatedly invited the
other party towards righteousness and forbade
them from evil and immorality, but it all fell on
deaf ears. When the time arrived for him to march
ahead all alone, he did it in a fashion which was
reminiscent of his illustrious father Ali
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Why it is called as Battle for Truth?
Husain fell in the desert of Karbala on that
fateful Friday, the 10th of Moharram 61H. Worse
was to follow. The bodies of the martyrs
including the Imam were not only refused a proper
burial but were trampled under the horses hooves
and were left for the birds. The Kufan army
looted the belongings of Husain. Imams family
including his women-folk and tender children were
humiliated and taken captives after burning down
their camps. The women were paraded with
uncovered heads. It wasnt ISLAM!!! If Hussain
fought to quench his worldly desires, then I do
not understand why his sisters, wives and
children accompanied him. It stands to reason
therefore that he sacrificed purely for Islam.
           Charles Dickens  The severed heads of
the martyrs including Husain were raised on
spears. How Yazid played with Husains head and
the emotions of Imams family is a well
documented fact. Karbala to this day remains a
heart-wrenching story of exemplary courage and
bravery to uphold the real principles of
Islam.  In a distant age and climate, the
tragic scene of the death of Husain will awaken
the sympathy of the coldest reader.   
             Edward Gibbon 
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Check out Movies on Karbala
For more details on this Subject refer to below links What is Muharram ? Lesson from Kerbala 1 Lessons from Kerbala 2 Lessons from Kerbala 3 Ashura, an eternal saga of conviction and courage Hussein (A) The End of a Tragedy or the Beginning of an Uprising?